‘Worth Sinking Your Teeth Into’ Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 First Impressions

For years now, I’ve longed for a fresh, contemporary vampire role-playing game, so it’s only natural that I’ve been closely following the developments of Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 and Blood of Dawnwalker. If these games manage to succeed in their launches, there’s a good chance my craving will be fulfilled. However, only time will tell as vampires are timeless, but I have high expectations for both titles. After spending a few hours playing Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, my optimism remains strong, though now it’s somewhat more cautious than initially.

In the game “Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2”, players assume the character of Phyre (pronounced ‘Fire’), a Nomad who has been asleep for a century. They find themselves in an abandoned apartment complex, with an enigmatic symbol on their hand and a puzzling voice whispering within them. Neither Fabien nor Phyre can explain how they ended up there, so they embark on a journey to uncover the truth about their bond. As they progress, the complex vampire politics of Seattle pose challenges, creating a backdrop for engaging intrigue and diverse role-playing scenarios.

The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, which took approximately two hours. I replayed these missions multiple times to explore the unique elements offered by different clans. While these opening sequences set the scene and introduced key characters, the main plot has yet to fully develop.

Considering this, Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 hits some marks when it comes to delivering a vampire fantasy experience, but certain design aspects fell short of being truly captivating for me.

Character Customization is a Mixed Bag of Blood

The Masquerade without over-explaining, and Fabien excels in this aspect. His dialogues with Phyre, given their ages (Fabien being 100 and Phyre at least 400), seem authentic and fitting for vampires. Their conversations flow naturally, and Fabien’s noir detective persona is distinctly portrayed. Initially, I found Fabien a bit off-putting due to the prevalence of “voice in your head” tropes in recent video games, but as I continued playing, his character grew on me despite my slight weariness with this trope. Developer Chinese Room effectively utilizes this device for a captivating experience.

The character who initially appears strong but quickly weakens at the outset, as seen in many video games, is present as well. It’s not problematic and it’s effectively utilized, but the beginning has a distinctly video game vibe to it.

In simpler terms, you have the freedom to interact with Fabien and the mysterious mark on his hand in whatever manner you prefer. The outcome might either ease or unsettle him, depending on your actions towards him. As of now, it’s unclear how this relationship will develop within the storyline, but during the initial hours, it didn’t appear to have a significant impact. Similarly, most new character introductions during this phase had minimal immediate effects. However, these interactions play a crucial role in shaping events that follow. At some point in the tutorial, Fabien is bound to ask about your clan, Phyre, which is a significant and pivotal decision.

Players can select among six different vampire clans – Banu Haqim, Brujah, Lasombra (a bonus clan), Toreador (an extra clan), Tremere, or Ventrue. Each selection influences the character’s dialogue options and initial skills. After finishing the tutorial level and reaching Fabien’s safehouse, players gain their first skill, outfit, and character customization choices. Fabien will inquire about Phyre’s past as a Nomad, allowing players to describe themselves as a fighter, explorer, or survivor. There are further opportunities to explore Phyre’s history within the game’s opening missions, although some visual cues for dialogue choices could use improvement.

In Vampire: The Masquerade, your chosen clan determines a unique set of abilities that are initially unlocked for you. Other abilities associated with different clans remain locked until later in the game when you may acquire them. As you unlock each skill, a new outfit becomes available to you. Although this setup might seem unusual, it doesn’t significantly impact your enjoyment of the game. In fact, by completing one playthrough, you can potentially collect outfits from all clans. However, your starting abilities and outfits are specific to your chosen clan, which is a bit odd but acceptable. The customization options in this game include selecting from five hairstyles with color variations, as well as options for facial scars/make-up, skin tone, and eye color. Unfortunately, the variety of customization feels limited, but each character you create still turns out looking great.

Vampire: The Masquerade’s Story and Characters Are The Stars of the Show

In a manner that avoids giving away crucial plot points, let me express my satisfaction with the unfolding narrative and the captivating characters I encountered during my playtime of Vampire: The Masquerade. This game seems to have a noir detective vibe, and every character you meet is shrouded in mystery much like a film noir detective would find intriguing.

Among the characters I met were an errant sheriff, someone pulling the strings behind the Prince, the Prince herself (yes, the Prince), a fan girl NPC, and a woman with a gothic aesthetic who believed she was a vampire when in reality, she wasn’t. There were also other intriguing non-player characters peppered throughout the game. Regrettably, I didn’t get too far into the story, but my interest was certainly piqued.

One particular event took me by surprise, and while I won’t go into specifics, it has left me eager to see how things unfold further. In essence, the groundwork has been laid, and I am on the edge of my seat, waiting for the performance to begin.

There’s A Lot to Appreciate About the Gameplay, But I’m Not Completely Sold On It Yet

For fans of vampires and narrative, “Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2” promises an engaging storyline. However, some players might find that the gameplay serves more as a delivery mechanism for the story rather than a fully-fledged vampire gaming experience, so individual preferences may differ significantly. It’s important to note that my opinions are based on the opening missions, and the game could improve as it progresses. In terms of comparison, the combat feels similar to the first-person melee in “Cyberpunk 2077,” albeit with a focus on vampire abilities instead of cyberware. A notable feature is that the player’s standard attacks vary depending on the chosen clan, offering unique fighting styles for each.

It’s less advantageous because it appears that opponents typically utilize just a few character types, so it’s possible for a band of 5-6 Anarchs to encounter 2-3 adversaries who seem identical.

The passive traits and abilities in this game lend an intriguing twist. Depending on the chosen clan, each Phyre character possesses a distinctive passive ability that alters the immediate advantages gained from feeding. For instance, one clan might enhance Phyre’s physical attacks after feeding, another could make them less visible, and another could reduce the damage they take. The initial abilities are exciting, offering capabilities such as instantly beheading someone (with varying effects based on vampire/human and individual will), planting a blood bomb in someone, and so forth. My personal favorite ability is commanding someone to commit suicide, with scaling effects depending on whether the subject is a vampire or human and their own willpower. While there’s potential here, I feel it doesn’t fully capture the essence of the traditional vampire fantasy due to certain restrictions.

The Masquerade

In essence, the Masquerade significantly impacts gameplay. While it serves as an effective storytelling tool, adding mystery to various interactions and contributing significantly to the narrative, it poses challenges during actual gameplay. If players expose the Masquerade by their actions, they face immediate punishment, typically death. This prohibits activities like scaring humans in Seattle’s streets, but also restricts vampiric abilities such as leaping, sprinting, and gliding within the city itself. These abilities may be useful inside hidden areas, like tutorial levels, but using them when transitioning between locations can lead to a Masquerade Breach. Although there is a build-up time and a warning signal, the overall effect is that it curtails the full expression of being a vampire.

During these initial missions, I found myself frequently traveling from location to location. While there were activities at each spot such as character conversations, battles, and gameplay, much of it involved going from point A to point B. Although Seattle serves its purpose, the city or setting doesn’t seem particularly significant during the opening stages. However, this could change as the game progresses, and honestly, the player might as well be in New York City given the snowy atmosphere.

Fabien

In the game, there are instances where players take on the role of Fabien instead of Phyre, and these moments provide an intriguing element of detective-style gameplay. I’ve only had the chance to experience the tutorial, but it was enjoyable, despite being somewhat straightforward. Fabien’s abilities primarily involve making others forget themselves or leading them to believe he is someone else, as well as talking to corpses. These skills are necessary for progressing through the levels, although they often feel like mere quick selections without much involvement required. The potential is evident, but there’s a sense that these gameplay elements serve the narrative more than being an integral part of the game itself.

Narrative Over Gameplay

As a bloodthirsty ghoul roaming the dark streets of Seattle in Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, I’ve got to say that the game already has an intriguing narrative and engaging gameplay mechanics. However, there’s no denying that it still has plenty of room to grow, especially with its gameplay. I feel like I’ve seen most of what it has to offer so far, but the storyline and characters are a different story altogether – they’re brimming with potential avenues for exploration that leave me eagerly anticipating what’s to come. All in all, Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 is shaping up to be a narrative feast that I can’t wait to sink my fangs into!

Game Rant was provided a Steam code for the purposes of this preview.

2025-08-19 23:09